Fiji « Aboard Dignity (Lagoon 420) Blog

At the pool

by KC2RIY, on July 26th, 2011 (Fiji)

The skies were overcast throughout the day so we abandoned possible plans to visit the outlaying reef. We spent the morning on the boat. Helen got into cleaning while I prepped the villager’s laptop with some movies and wildlife documentaries.

After lunch we went ashore with the laptop and the universal remote to try on Vatse’s TB. Vatse was not at his home so we dropped our things off with his neighbour where we first performed sevusevu. He leant us his grandson, Lei, to show us the way to the hot spring. By now the weather was clearing. The walk to the hot spring followed the shoreline crossing a number of small streams. To cross the streams we made us of bamboo bridges that had been built over them.

Lei left us at the hot spring as we could easily find our way back. Helen dipped her feet in while I went all the way. It was quite a large pool, warm, not hot. In some places we could feel hot water seeping up through the mud and sometimes trails of bubbles would rise. When I sat still in the areas where the hot water was rising it got quite warm and relaxing. With the blue skies overhead, the palm trees around us, the sound of the surf and occasional birds around us it was quite idyllic.

While we were there a posse of young school children passed by. When the noticed us they all lined up on one of the smaller bridges for a photo. On the way back we spotted a family of wild pigs. Perhaps not wild but certainly free to roam.

Back at the village we visited Vatse and looked again at his TV. Although I couldn’t get the remote to work I managed to get sound working for him. Not ideally and there was one step where I’m not sure what happened and how the sound started working but we left them happy they could hear the movies. We showed them what we’d done with the laptop so he could show his friend. Our last stop was the mother of the headman who had earlier offered us tea. All this while the village was quite busy as they were preparing for the monthly cargo ship visit that evening. They had goods (mainly cava) to send to Suva to sell, people leaving and people coming to visit. People from nearby villages were starting to show up. As ever, we were warmly greeted wherever we went.

Feeling quite pooped we were quite surprised how late in the day it was when we returned to the boat. Dinner, movie, documentary finished the day. Overnight the wind has returned first coming from the south putting a bit of a swell into the bay and now to the south east putting the boat oblique to the swell. This has given us an uncomfortable second half of the night. We will definitely be moving on today. If the sky is clear we’ll check the pass out this morning for a snorkel. Otherwise we’ll go straight round the corner to one of the bays on the west side. Tomorrow, with the trades settling back in, we’ll be off to the capital, Suva.

Waikama

by KC2RIY, on July 25th, 2011 (Fiji)

The weather did improve in the morning so shortly after 10 we headed ashore to find the village chief/headman. It turned out in Waikama, the nearby village, these were two different people. With the help of two young boys we found the headman but he said the chief was in church. After some discussion he suggested we return around midday. Which we did, but not before giving the headman two huge wahu steaks which we’d brought with us.

By the time we’d returned it had been agreed that the headman and his elderly cousin perform the sevusevu. After we had given our cava and had the speech and clapping and a chat about where we’d come from, the headman, Willy, and another chap, Vatsu, took us around the village. This didn’t last long as the heavens again opened. We ducked into the generator shed until the rain subsided. Willy and Vatsu were keen to see the boat so we took them aboard, showed them around and shared some beer and biscuits Helen dug out some tinned food we’ve not used, and perhaps never will, and gave it to them.

Before I took them back they invited us round in the evening for cava which we agreed to. Vatsu also had a problem with his DVD player which he wanted me to look at so I agreed to do that on the way.

In the couple of hours we had left I fished a little off the back of the boat catching a fairly decent sized golden jack. By now the winds had dropped to nothing and the bay was flat and peaceful.

After dinner we headed back ashore taking the jack with us which we gave to Vatsu. The problem with his DVD player was it had no sound. He didn’t have a remote control so I couldn’t do anything bar check the cables. They were ok so I could go no further (I have just found the manual for my cheapo universal control so I may be able to do something today).

The cava party went on late. Helen had made some sweet ‘chasers’ from cornflakes, syrup and whatever which we shared. We didn’t leave until about 10:30 feeling a little affected from all the grog we’d drunk. They grow it here in abundance and drink it almost every night. It must be understood that grog drinking is more of a social thing where everyone gets together and chats while knocking back the odd grog. Hey – that doesn’t sound too different from a pub.

During the grog session we were shown a laptop given to one of the villagers by another boat. It was very slow and jerky playing DVDs. On examination the laptop was fairly old which accounts partly for it’s poor performance. I promised to take it back to the boat for a better examination and to load on some children’s movies and wildlife programs.

Today we’ll just hang around here. It’s overcast at the moment so our plans to snorkel the pass in the reef will have to wait until tomorrow.

Gau

by KC2RIY, on July 24th, 2011 (Fiji)

With a brisk northerly wind gradually changing to northwest throughout the day we made our way south to Gau. This meant running wing on wing most of the way. Early on, just after I’d put my toast on, we hooked a moderate sized mahi mahi. Postponing the toast I attended to the line. Unfortunately the fish got away near the boat. The mahis tend to jump a lot and nearer the boat this can get them off the hook. Next time I have a mahi I’ve decided to let it run for a while and tire itself out. There seems to be a relationship between toast and catching fish. Perhaps it’s the smell. More likely we all like to eat at the same time.

We decided to put the line away for the first half of the trip. Any fish we’d catch would go in the bucket to be given away whole. We decided we didn’t want a stinky fish on the boat for the whole trip. Later, when I put the line in, I had one bite but it didn’t catch.

Towards the end of our sail the weather got little squally and the winds gusting and variable. Not the best conditions for wing on wing. We put the boat on a broad reach and jibed the last few miles to the pass before lowering the sails and entering. Our caution on approach was unnecessary (not that we’ll stop doing this) as the northerly pass we entered was wide and very visible as was the middle pass to the south. We made an approach to the village of Sawaieke but being on the NW side of the island facing the prevailing weather the shelter from the outlying reefs was insufficient.

We put up the head sail and motor sailed south. The next bay down looked ok but wind shift to the west, which is expected today, would make it a mess so we headed on south and rounded the corner into Nawaikama Bay. Here the winds came howling down over the ridge but as we approached the shallow water at the north end of the bay, the waters calmed as a result of the short fetch. Here we dropped the anchor.

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We had hoped to go ashore and do the formal sevusevu at the village of Waikama but the water was too choppy. We may have made it south to the village but we’d have been swamped on the return. We hope they understand.

The winds continued into the evening and through the night. The evening skies were clear so we had the heavens on show. The wind meant we did well on the wind gen overnight.

This morning the heavens have opened. The front is truly upon us. The boat is getting a good wash which is good. We’ll just sit it out. It looks as though we could be in this weather for 24 hours at least.

Wakaya

by steve, on July 23rd, 2011 (Fiji)

The trip to Wakaya was without wind but not without it’s thrills (as seen by my previous blog). We had the fishing line and one hand line out before we left the western pass at Makogai. Just before half way I noticed a fish surfing on the hand line. As I pulled it in it submerged giving a little fight. Then things became quite light. By the time I had the line nearly in I could see why. I had only the head left.

Before I had a chance to unhook the head the fishing line started to zing. I had Helen slow the boat to 2 knots as I reeled the beastie in. From time to time it would run but it soon tired. When we had the fish near the boat we could see it was much bigger than our usual catch. I gaffed the fish and brought it up the steps a little. I tried using my ‘nappy pin’ to secure the boat via it’s chin. Wary of the earlier fish we lost we kept the hook in while I bled the fish. It didn’t take long before the ‘nappy pin’ popped. No longer trusting this method to secure the fish I used some spare line to lash the tail. This was no easy task as the fish was bigger than the step I work on and still had a bit of life in it.

After dragging it through the water for a few minutes I pulled it out and weighed it. At 38lb this almost doubles my biggest catch by weight. The wahu had a slimy skin which made quite a mess as I gutted, steaked and partially fileted it. I kept the head and some of the tail steaks in a bowl to give to locals on arrival. The steaks and filets were all bagged and frozen. We have far too much for ourselves so much will be given away.

Upon entering the pass at Wakaya I was reminded the place was a private island resort rather than a village (click the link to see it’s website and $000 dollar prices). We saw a dive boat coming our way. I beckoned them over. The Fijian operators were more than happy to take the fish parts we’d left. I only hope their two mega-dollar paying customers didn’t object to the fishy smell.

We were soon anchored in a bay by the resort. The resort appears newer than the map below as not all the buildings (not that there are many) are visible.

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As it was late morning and the sun high we decided to go snorkeling on the reef. This was one of our better snorkels as the waters were crystal clear, fairly shallow and the corals and small fish abundant.

After lunch we noticed we had free wifi from the resort. It was a bit patchy but sufficient to upload all our recent pictures (check back the previous few entries). I was also able to catch up on recent news and download the latest updates for my laptop. In the evening Helen cooked a most delicious chili wahu dinner. I couldn’t eat enough of it.

Overnight the northerly winds kicked in making the anchorage rolly. The forecasts all point to the front coming over this evening so we’ll push on south to Gau today, hopefully under sail.

Patience is often rewarded

by steve, on July 22nd, 2011 (Fiji)

First bite was more of a success for an unseen shark ….

Then came 38lb of Wahooness ….

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At the pool

Waikama

Gau

Wakaya

Patience is often rewarded